Very Flat and Hard Abdomen Post-VASER Liposelection

I had VASER Lipo done on my upper and lower stomach. It has now been three weeks, and my stomach is a lot flatter than before, and feels very hard, like I have something hard under the skin. My ab area is so hard I can't even pinch the skin. Is this normal? Is this the swelling, and will it get better?

Doctor Answers (4)

Hard abdomen after vaser liposuction

April 10th, 2012

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Three weeks is a little too soon to assess the outcome of your surgery. You will, most likelty, will see more improvement in next few weeks. In the mean time try to do some aggressive soft tissue massage and consider external ultrasonic treatment. Whirle pool therapy also will prove helpful.

Swelling after VASER

August 27th, 2010

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3 weeks after VASER you most likely still have swelling. The hard, firm areas usually resolve after 6-8 weeks. There is inflammation and swelling under the skin after VASER. Manually massaging the area will help to relax the skin and soft tissue. I would continue to wear your compression garment to help with the swelling.

Swelling and hardness after Liposuction

April 18th, 2013

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LeeSarah, thanks for asking this great question! One of the reasons that I advocate twice-weekly massage after Vaser Liposuction is to address the issues of swelling and tissue stiffness, which is otherwise quite common after a procedure like this.

First, at 3 weeks out, as my colleagues have wisely advised, you're still in the early stages. Second, you should wear that compression garment 24/7 until your surgeon tells you that you can stop doing so. Third, find a qualified, licensed massage therapist for some lymphatic massage in the treated area. I promise you will feel better, because the massage will soften the area and promote drainage of that swelling.

Before you do anything, however, call your board certified plastic surgeon and be seen just to be certain there's nothing untoward going on. While it's unlikely, it's always best to be seen to be sure.

Vaser Liposuction Pictures

Sounds like swelling but you should visit your surgeon

Considering you're only three weeks out, it sounds like you still have some swelling, which can persist for up to 3 months after this type of procedure.

Things you can do to accelerate the resolution of the swelling would include wearing a tight compression garment at all times, and having deep tissue massage (usually best done in your surgeon's office with a special machine) once a week until the swelling is gone.

I would definitely visit your surgeon to be sure that there is not something more significant going on though.

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